A Hole in My Soul
by livingdeadblondequeen
Summary: Caroline's father is the alpha of a large pack and though she grew up knowing she would always be stuck in Mystic Falls with her pack, she rebelled as much as she could, wanting a normal life, especially the going away to college part. But when she is called back, she comes face to face with everything she left behind, including him.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello Lovelies! As you can see, I have a new little story here. If you follow me on tumblr, this is not the one I have been talking about in the past. This one came about after I did the Klaroline Secret Santa and felt I needed to add more to it afterwards. Thanks to Klarolineepiclove, jomofamilyjewels (Gorgeous cover!), and klovec for their help with this.**

**Part One**

"Caroline."

Caroline froze halfway across her lawn at the sound of her name. Not only because someone had called out to her, but because of whom the voice belong to, a voice she hadn't heard in almost a year and a half. Five hundred and seven days to be exact if you were keeping track, not that she was. Okay, maybe she was. Why wouldn't she? After all it was how long it had been since Caroline had packed up her car and headed off to college, leaving behind everything she had ever known. The town she'd grown up in, her friends, her pack, her parents, and...him. Had her father not told her in no uncertain terms that her chair at the table would not be empty again this Christmas, she would not have returned now with her tail between her legs. She had had no choice; her father's word was law, pack law.

Caroline had hoped to avoid seeing him for as long as possible, which of course meant that she would run into him within hours of her arriving back in town. Cursing her luck, Caroline turned around, a small forced smile on her face. "Klaus, hi."

"Hello love." Klaus replied, an unreadable expression on his face.

"Um, how are you? You look good," she commented, cringing as she did. Had she really just said that? More often than not, Caroline said the first thing on her mind before she could stop herself. Bonnie had said she lacked a filter and this was definitely one of those circumstances where she wished she had had one. Not that her statement wasn't true, Klaus did look good though, actually good was an understatement. She wasn't sure how it was possible but his shoulders that were currently covered under a dark blue Henley seemed wider, his eyes bluer, his curls a bit longer and he seemed to have gotten more handsome since she'd been gone.

All of which she wanted to use as an excuse for the sudden heat Caroline felt throughout her body but she knew she'd be lying to herself. Simply being near him again was the cause of that, her wolf lunging to the surface and wanting to roll around in it, recognizing him instantly despite being apart for so long. She could feel the wolf trying to push Caroline to get closer, preferably to touch but she fought against it.

She watched as one of Klaus' eyebrows arched in disbelief at her question. "'You left without a goodbye, have refused to talk to me for over a year and that's the first thing you say?"

"I was trying to be polite," Caroline replied, laughing nervously. "I see that you're still as blunt as always."

"When have either one of us ever not been?" Klaus retorted.

"With the way Daddy has been talking you up, I thought you might have picked up a few bits of tact under his tutelage." She declared. While she hadn't spoken to Klaus since she left, he had been the subject of many conversations between herself and her father, mostly with him singing Klaus' praises.

"Well Bill might be a good Alpha, but he isn't a miracle worker."

Caroline couldn't help but let out an unladylike snort at the truth behind his statement. Even someone like her father would be unable to change Klaus if Klaus didn't want to be changed. Though if he was going to take over as Alpha for her father some day, like as was planned, he would need some diplomacy. Of course, by thinking of Klaus learning from her father reminded Caroline exactly why he was in that position (Well without having physically challenged her father to the death) and suddenly she became tense again.

"Though he did manage to finally get you to return home so perhaps I am underestimating him."

She heard Klaus add a smirk on his face and his voice teasing with a hint of spite mixed in, causing her nervousness to be replaced by irritation. However before she could give any kind of comeback, they were interrupted when a car stopped at the end of the drive, the driver being one of the last people Caroline wanted to see.

"Everyone said you were back in town, but to be honest, I didn't believe it until I saw it with my own eyes." Greta stated as she got out of the car and made her way towards the two of them. "The prodigal princess returns."

"Only for a visit." Caroline grumbled. She hated when people called her that, and Greta knew it. She was the one who had started it after all when they were in grade school. For some reason Greta had never liked her, and made it known. Of course she couldn't pick on the daughter of the Alpha after all but she could still torment her in some way.

"I know your parents missed you and some of the rest of the pack too. Though I don't know about everyone." Greta commented, a sly smile appearing on her face as she brought her hand up to grasp Klaus' arm as an indicator of just who she meant.

At the sight of the other she-wolf touching Klaus in such a familiar way, Caroline's wolf bristled and she felt her claws itching to break through. The blonde had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from growling in challenge. 'Mine,' The wolf thought before she shoved the thought away and regained control. But not before Greta noticed her reaction, her smile expanding to a full fledge grin.

"We should be going, only a few hours before nightfall and much to do," Klaus said suddenly, breaking up the face-off between the women, his own wolf most likely sensing the tension in the air.

"Right, we wouldn't want to be late for tonight's hunt. What with it being a welcome home for Caroline and all." Greta stated as she let Klaus lead her back to her car, opening the driver door for her to slide in before making his way back to the passenger side, glancing at Caroline as he did.

"Until tonight sweetheart."

/

_Almost Three Years Ago_

_Caroline had just reached the top of the winding staircase when her ears picked up the distinctive rumbling of a motorcycle coming up the drive. The sound was not foreign to Caroline; her cousin Stefan had one but the engine noise sounded different which meant it was not him coming to visit so it must be someone for her parents, probably her father to be specific. Caroline was still thinking over who in town it could be, when the front door bell rang. Not seeing anyone waiting around the foyer or rushing out from other rooms, she took it upon herself to open the door._

_The person on the other side of the door was not a local, human or wolf, that she knew for a fact. She definitely would have noticed him if he had been, just as any other woman in town would have. If the tall sinewy built body wrapped in the black leather jacket, blue eyes or ruby red lips didn't make him memorable, the dimples that came out when those lips curved into a smirk certainly would. A small gust hit just then, ruffling his dark blonde curls and giving Caroline a whiff of his scent, definitely a wolf. A very strong dominant one at that, causing her own wolf within to pop her head up in interest._

_Realizing she was staring, she cleared her throat before asking, "Can I help you?"_

_"I hope so love," The unfamiliar wolf replied, his accent surprising but definitely not unwelcome. "I was told that I could find William Forbes at this address."_

_"You must be Klaus." Caroline heard her father say as he came up behind her. "Alaric said you should be arriving sometime today."_

_"That would make you William Forbes?" 'Klaus' asked._

_"It would. Bill actually." Bill acknowledged as he looked the younger male up and down, obviously determining if he was a threat. Something he saw told him he wasn't and instead smiled welcomingly. "Won't you come in? Sweetheart, don't be rude. Step aside and give our guest some room."_

_Caroline did as she was told, stepping out of the way and opening the door wider so to allow Klaus to enter. Everything made sense now as to why a strange wolf would suddenly show up on their doorstep; Alaric Saltzman from the pack south of them had sent him. He was a history professor at Duke with his wife but had also possessed the largest record of the various packs and histories in the States. So naturally Caroline was curious as to why he had sent Klaus to her father._

_Once everyone was inside and the door was shut, Bill continued with the introductions. "Klaus, this is my daughter, Caroline. Caroline, this is Klaus Mikaelson."_

_"A pleasure to meet you, Caroline." Klaus said, his eyes locked on hers as he reached out to shake her hand._

_Remember her manners this time; Caroline smiled cordially as she took his hand. However the moment her fingers touched his calloused ones, she felt as if she had been shocked. Not shocked as if she had just taken clothes from the dryer, this was more how she would imagine touching a live power line or even being struck by lightning. And she could see by Klaus' face that he had felt it too. His eyes darted to meet hers, and when she saw the glow from the wolf within, Caroline felt something else happen. It was as if her senses came alive all at once, as if she had come out of a fog. Just like she had always been told it would feel yet she had never believed. Something that made her wolf come alive and close to her skin._

_Caroline snatched her hand back immediately, breaking the skin to skin contact something her wolf did not like. By the frown on her father's face, he was not happy either, but she didn't care. "Um, it's nice to meet you too."_

_"Klaus here has been searching for information regarding his father, and according to Alaric, it appears that father could be Ansel Varg." Bill informed her. Caroline recognized the name, he was a former member of the pack but had died years ago. However before her father could say more, the loud shrill of his phone erupted from his pocket. After checking the caller ID, he looked back to the two. "Excuse me, I have to take this."_

_As her father walked out of the room to take his call, Caroline stood uncomfortably in her spot but didn't meet the other wolf's eyes. Unable to stand the awkward silence, she asked. "So how long do you plan to be in Mystic Falls?"_

_"I do not know, it depends on what information there is for me. A few days perhaps." Klaus answered, his eyes locked on her face, as if he was drinking her in. "Perhaps…longer."_

_Ignoring what he was insinuating, that he might hang around town due to her, Caroline simply carried on her line of conversation. "Well there isn't much in the ways of hotels, just the big one off the interstate. Mostly just bed and breakfasts, some ran by wolves, some by humans. You'd probably be more comfortable at my cousins' boarding house, it's not far from here, you might have passed it on your drive."_

_"I do not recall seeing a boarding house on my way in. Perhaps after I meet with your father, you could show it to me? And maybe the rest of the town?" Klaus asked, his eyebrow raised in question, the smirk back in place. "Of course, I would want to repay the kindness. Possibly with dinner?"_

_Caroline's eyes widened comically in surprised at the invitation. For a moment, she just stared at him and when she did, she noticed how the cockiness that oozed off of him. Was she really surprised? Strong male wolves were always quite arrogant. "Wow, please tell me that line doesn't work on all the other girls?"_

_"Other girls?"_

_"Yeah, all the human girls and she-wolves that you said that line to whenever you roll into a new town?" Caroline explained, getting a bit of enjoyment out of seeing through him even though she also felt a bit of something else at the thought that she was right. Her wolf snarled at the thought of other females touching him. "Please, don't try to act like I'm something special here. I've had enough experience with lone wolves who have come through town to recognize the tactic. A handsome face, a little charm and I bet they were quick to make a stranger feel welcome."_

_Klaus' eyes darkened in anger at her speech before he seemed to regain control again, and those red lips lifted in a smile as he moved closer to her, invading her personal space. As he did, warmth flooded her body and she knew that it wasn't solely because of the heat coming off of him. At the same time, his scent that had been teasing her senses, enveloped her and she couldn't help but find the combination of motor oil, woodsy wolf musk and something else, intoxicating. His voice was the only thing that pulled her from the trance her senses were creating._

_"Now Caroline, we both know just how special you are." His voice just above a whisper, his finger curling under her chin to pull her gaze up to meet his. "You cannot ignore what happened moments ago, nor what is happening right now. You know what it means."_

_"I know what it is supposed to mean. But just because fate has dictated that we are mates, doesn't mean that I'm going to simply drop my panties for you here and now and allow myself to be claimed." Caroline rebutted as she took a step back and away from the daze he had put her in. "If someone wants to be with me, they have to earn it."_

_Spinning on her heel, Caroline walked as calmly as she could towards the back of the house, trying not to put some distance between herself and Klaus. However it seemed that she would not get the last word as she heard Klaus call._

_"I'll take that as a challenge."_

**Love it? Hate it? In case anyone is confused, Caroline is the only heir of her father's pack, which is based in Mystic Falls but em compasses all of Virginia. Since she is female, she cannot become alpha, but her husband can (Yes, it's sexist) through succession. Yes, it can be done the old fashion way by force and would be if Caroline's mate was too submissive or another wolf not in her family wanted to be alpha but it is an attempt for them to be move civilized. Mystic Falls itself is somewhat a safe haven for their pack, many of the humans that live there know about the wolves, but live in peace with them. Bill has wolves scattered all over his territory, not just in MF, however to ensure the continued strength of the pack, the young wolves are not allowed to leave the territory.**


	2. Chapter 2

Hello lovelies, sorry it took so long for me to get this updated, excuses are at the end of the part. I hope this part isn't too boring, I'm not completely satisfied with it. Thanks to klovec for her support and betaing with this part as well as klarolineepiclove.

Part Two

A few hours later just as the sky was darkening, Caroline made her way out into the woods behind her house to the clearing where the pack always met for hunts or other gatherings. After her run in with Klaus, she decided to stay close to the house until nightfall. The decision that ended up being a good one since her uncle and cousins came over to see her and have dinner. The meal was enjoyable... well if you didn't include the parts when Damon was badgering her with questions about the 'hot college' girls on campus. It had been good to see them. However, now it was time to be reunited with the pack, the rest of her family.

"Nervous?" Stefan asked.

Caroline continued to stare at the group of gathering wolves as she shook her head, which seemed to amuse Stefan if his laugh was any indication. "You're still a terrible liar."

Huffing in exasperation, Caroline turned to argue with Stefan but before she could get a word out, a mass of blonde hair attacked her, almost knocking her over as she hugged her tight. "Lexi, I'm happy to see you too but I can't breathe."

"Sorry Care," Lexi apologized as she pulled back and released the other blonde, only for Caroline to be pulled into another hug by her friend Bonnie. "Please, she can handle it. It's payback for not visiting sooner."

"Guys, I…" Caroline started to make excuses but Lexi interrupted by grabbing her hand. "Come on, everyone is waiting to see you."

She allowed Lexi to pull her along to join the pack, Caroline' appearance causing a stir in the crowd, just as she always had given her standing. Her wolf enjoyed being surrounded by other wolves, soaking it in like a thirsty man after trekking the desert, while the other side of her smiled through all of the hugs.

Since she had been a young girl, Caroline felt like she was two people in one; the wolf side and the human side. She embraced her wolf, but also wanted to have a normal teenage girl's life and she did everything she could to have it. But of course, like everything else in her life, Caroline had to go above and beyond. Instead of simply being a good student, a cheerleader, or a member of the dance committee, she was one of the top students of her class, cheer team captain and head of almost every social committee there was at school. And whereas others in the pack who had wanted to go to college went to nearby Whitmore, she had chosen one on the border of her father's territory instead. She wanted to be her own person and figure out who she was before she became completely trapped by her birthright as the next Alpha female. Everything she planned had gone perfectly, until the summer of her senior year when a certain motorcycle riding wrench was thrown into her plan.

"Have you talked to him?" Bonnie whispered to her once they had made the rounds.

Snapping her gaze away from the wolf in question, Caroline couldn't help but blush a bit at being caught staring at Klaus. She nodded. "Just for a moment, I ran into him outside of the house."

"And?" Bonnie asked, eyebrow raised as she waited for Caroline to explain more.

"And nothing. We spoke for all of about five minutes at most." She explained.

"That's it? I expected more." Bonnie replied, obviously disappointed by Caroline's answer. "Though I guess I shouldn't be surprised,. If there had been more time, I'm sure the whole town would have heard the two of you."

"Then I guess it's a good thing that Greta interrupted us; she was more than happy to interrupt us." Caroline declared as her gaze drifted to where said she-wolf was waiting, not surprisingly near Klaus. Granted in this case, it wasn't just the two of them. Damon was with them, as were a few other wolves that had been a few years ahead of her in school. "So how long have…I mean, has it…"

Getting what her friend was struggling to ask, Bonnie smiled sympathetically. "I'm not really sure, not long, a few months maybe. Everyone was surprised; they just showed up together one night at the Grille. I don't think it is serious though, Care, Luka hasn't told me anything."

"Bonnie, it's okay; I'm the one that left." Caroline stammered through the lie. It wasn't okay, not really, it hurt knowing he was with someone and the wolf in her scratched to come out and rage but she couldn't blame him. Like she told Bonnie, she left him. She deserted her mate; it was natural for him to seek out comfort, no matter how hollow it was. Wolves could be intimate with those who were not their mate, though it was a very poor substitute for the connection mates felt. Even those whose mating was still somewhat new.

Her father's deep voice rumbled across the clearing addressing the pack, but Caroline wasn't paying attention despite the fact that he was talking about her; she was still watching Klaus and his group. It wasn't until she felt Bonnie elbow her that she came back to herself. "What?"

Bonnie just grinned at her wolfishly. "Time to run."

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

_Flashback_

_Caroline was having a horrible day, beyond horrible. It had been storming for the last two days, and the night before the storm had gotten so violent that it had knocked out the power. Her phone had not charged. This had meant her alarm had not gone off causing her to be late, and her day had snowballed. She had been driving home when rabbit had darted across the road, which she had swerved to avoid hitting, and her tires had gotten stuck in the mud. Now she was stuck on the side of the road with no phone to call for help; which left her with two options, flag down anyone that came along or turn and run home on four legs, with a side trip to hunt the little furry nuisance that got her into this mess._

_Deciding that the latter option would be the quickest, Caroline quickly kicked off her muddy sandals and was about to undress when the sound of an engine approaching broke the silence, making her pause. A few moments later, the vehicle appeared and Caroline cursed her repetitive bad luck._

_"Need some assistance sweetheart?" Klaus asked after killing the engine on his bike and removing his helmet._

_"Actually, my car thought that it needed a mud bath." Caroline retorted but winced internally at the harshness in her voice. "Sorry, I shouldn't have snapped at you. I'm just having a really bad day."_

_"Seems like you must have a lot of them then." He replied, and she knew he referring to how she had acted the last time they had seen each other, a week before. She had not crossed paths with him since, despite the size of the town, and she had a feeling that him being the first one to come to her aid was a bit of karma. "I assume you have already rung for aid or a tow company?"_

_"Actually, no." She answered before holding her phone up. "It's dead. I was about to head for home for some help when you came along. Hey, what are you doing?"_

_Klaus looked up at her from where he was squatting down next to her tires. "Looking to see what kind of mess you have here."_

_"You don't have to, if I could just use your phone, I can call for a tow." Caroline declared but her words seemed to fall on deaf ears as he continued to move around the car before gathering some nearby brush. She watched as he worked, shoving branches and such under her back tires for a few minutes before standing again. "Okay love, try it now."_

_Caroline bit her lip as she slid behind the wheel of her car. She didn't think it would work but at this point she would try anything to get out of having to go to her house and explain that she had gotten into this mess after avoiding a bunny. Nevertheless when she pressed on the gas, and her car lurched forward seconds later, she was proven wrong. Once she steered the car so that all four tires were firmly on concrete, Caroline got out of the car to thank Klaus for his help but it died on her lips as soon as she saw him._

_Klaus' gray t-shirt and jeans not to mention his face was covered in mud, splattered she guessed from her tires. As she looked over the damage, she couldn't help but notice how his soaked shirt clung to his chest like a second skin, highlighting the very nice body underneath. She felt a surge of desire rush through her, and her wolf clawing to the surface, wanting to touch, to taste the skin that the clothes covered. Wolves were used to nudity, it was natural but there was something when it was hidden from them that made it more alluring._

_Realizing she was staring at him, Caroline snapped herself out of her daze. "I am so sorry."_

_Wiping some mud off of his face, Klaus shook his head. "It's just a bit of mud, sweetheart. At least it worked and your car is no longer trapped."_

_"Thank you for that," She said gratefully. "I thought there was no way that I'd be able to get out of there without some major help."_

_"You are welcome. And you'd be surprised at what you pick up on the road when you are on your own." He stated as he began to try and wipe away some of the mud sticking to his skin._

_"Send me the bill for your clothes, it is the least I can do."_

_"No need for all of that, it is nothing that won't rinse off easily enough in the wash." Klaus declared._

_"I am trying to repay you for your help but you're not letting me." Caroline grumbled at his stubbornness. "There has to be something."_

_She regretted the words as soon as she saw the grin on his face. "What?"_

_"The laundry facilities are broken at the boarding house so for me to do the wash, I will need to use the one in town, which sounds quite dull and boring. Instead as a thank you, you can keep me company." Klaus explained. "As a way to repay the debt you owe me."_

_Thinking about her reaction to Klaus a few minutes ago, Caroline thought his proposal was a really bad idea. Maybe she could convince him to let her give him the cash or maybe a gift basket of some kind. One with laundry supplies, gift card to the Laundromat, and some snacks, perhaps? However Klaus interrupted her thoughts before she could brainstorm more._

_"Oh, come on. Take a chance, Caroline. Talk to me, spend some time with me to get to know me." Klaus pushed before his lips turned up in a smirk and his eyes took on a look of mischief. "I dare you." Despite herself, Caroline couldn't help but laugh. "What are you twelve? Do you really think that will work?" His smirk grew as he shrugged, "It worked enough that you haven't rejected my proposition yet." "You really just want me to sit with you while you do laundry?" She asked, eyebrow arching in question. "I said keep me company, not take up the seat next to me." Klaus declared. "You said that I have to earn the possibility of being with you, I can't do that if I am never around you. I would much rather try to woo you properly, however since you snubbed my offer of dinner before, I am willing to take advantage of any opportunity I can." It was on the tip of her tongue to say no, it was actually what she had planned to say but her brain seemed to forget to tell her mouth that. "Fine." "Fine?" Klaus repeated._

_"Yes, fine. I'll keep you company while you wash your clothes." Caroline stated. "But I am paying for it, no arguments."_

_"I wouldn't dream of it." Klaus said as he held his hands up in a sign of surrender. "Now I assume you would like to return home and retrieve your charger so I should expect you at the Boarding House shortly?"_

_Caroline's eyes widened comically. "You want to go now?"_

_"There is no time like the present. I assume you have nothing pending at the moment?" Klaus asked._

_"Well, not really."_

_"Fantastic." Klaus called out as he walked back over to his bike._

_Caroline watched as he started it up, trying not to think about how good he looked on it, before she went back to her car. Thirty minutes later after grabbing her charger and freshening up, because she too had gotten some mud on her and not because she was meeting Klaus, Caroline picked Klaus up from the Boarding House to head back into town. They rode in silence, which had her on edge. She wasn't used to silence; and this one was more unnerving because of the male wolf in her car. The close proximity to him was doing a number on her, of course it didn't help that he was watching her the whole time, to where she turned off the AC to roll down the window to allow some fresh air. Thankfully the drive wasn't too long and she practically jumped out of the car once she rolled to a stop while Klaus unloaded his clothes, chuckling openly as he did._

_The Laundromat was empty except for the attendant, a human who nodded before Klaus led them to some machines on the opposite side of store. As she watched him begin to work, her agitation shifted its focus until she couldn't stay silent. "Stop, you're doing it wrong."_

_"Pardon you love, but I know what I am doing," Klaus countered. "I have been responsible for my laundry for quite some time."_

_"That may be but it doesn't mean you've been doing it right." Caroline argued as she grabbed the clothes away from him and took over, leaving Klaus no option but to take a step back and let her take over. He watched on, an amused smile on his face as she worked. It didn't take her long, he didn't have much to wash, which made sense given that he would have to fit it on his bike._

_Caroline thought that the idea of traveling all over the country, the potential to be in a different place every night, seeing new things, meeting new people, sounded like a little slice of heaven to her. All she had known was her pack, her father's territory and the humans who lived there. The only new people were a few lone wolves here and there much to her chagrin, which was why she had had such a bad reaction to Klaus when she first met him._

_"I must say, I'm surprised that you know what you're doing there." Klaus commented, earning a glare from her. "I mean no offense; I just know that my sister would rather be caught dead doing laundry."_

_"I wish I had the choice. I've been doing my own laundry since I first turned. In the beginning I wasn't always careful with my clothes and mom said I had to learn." Caroline huffed but the mention of his family made her curious. "So you have a sister?"_

_She watched as his jaw tensed, and something flicker across his eyes before he answered. "Yes, one."_

_"Is she older or younger than you?" Caroline asked._

_"Younger, she's the…baby of the family."_

_"So she isn't your only sibling? How many do you have?" She pushed._

_"Five total."_

_"Wow." Caroline replied. According to her father Ansel had been gone from the pack for several years before Caroline was born, traveling the world to meet with other packs on orders from his alpha. With the arrival of Klaus, it was obvious that he had been quite busy in his absence not relating to business if he met a she wolf and had so many offspring. She found it odd that he had left them when he returned to the pack or hadn't relocated. "You guys practically have your own pack."_

_"Perhaps, except for the fact that none of them are wolves." Klaus explained. "My mother, who is human, had an affair with Ansel, and I was a product of that liaison."_

_"Oh." She replied in surprise. "Do they know? About..."_

_"That I am a wolf?" he finished for her and she nodded. "Yes. They found out the same night that I did, the night of my first turn. It wasn't long after, I set out on my own."_

_It wasn't hard for Caroline to read between the lines, his family had not accepted what he was and he had either been shunned or felt like he did not belong with them anymore. Either one had resulted in him being alone, without family nor pack. "That sounds very lonely."_

_Klaus only shrugged before catching her eye. "People think being alone makes you lonely, but that's not true. Being surrounded by the wrong people is the loneliest thing in the world."_

_Heat blossomed on Caroline's cheeks at his words. There was no doubt in her mind about the meaning behind his words._

Love it? Hate it? Just so you know I won't be showing every interaction between Klaus and Caroline from the beginning, the next will actually skip a little bit ahead in time.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello my lovelies, here's a slightly longer update to make up for being gone, hope you enjoy. Thanks to Klarolineepiclove and klovec for their betaing skills, and jomosfamilyjewels for my beautiful cover. And a huge thank you to everyone who reviewed, followed or Favorited this story. I love you all.**

**Part Three**

As she ran on all fours through the woods, Caroline felt a sense of peace she hadn't felt in a long time. She had been able to turn and go for runs by herself while at school but it paled in comparison to how it felt to run through the wildness of woods that she had grown up in with her pack. Not to mention the feeling of having her pack so close.

Her father had arranged this hunt to mark her homecoming and while she had hated the attention, she was enjoying herself greatly. At first she had ran alongside Stefan, Bonnie and Lexi but when they had gone off to hunt, she had gone off by herself to run.

Dehydrated Caroline decided to take a break for a drink, refreshing herself when she came up to one of the streams. As she drank, Caroline could hear her pack mates moving through the woods, tracking various animals or like Caroline herself, simply relishing the event. So far she had only seen Klaus from afar, and she wondered if she would at some point. Her wolf very much wanted to, the girl though was not so sure.

As if the mere thought of him somehow summoned him to her, Klaus appeared from the brush just behind her, and she wondered if he hadn't been tracking her. She wouldn't be surprised if he had been, considering he didn't look a bit startled to see her there. Instead he moved towards her, his head slightly bowed as he watched her carefully, his eyes the same blue color in wolf form as they were in human, waiting to see if she would bolt at his appearance. Her human part said she should, that she should run and avoid him again but couldn't make herself do it. Not even when he came so close that their coats brushed against each other as he circled her or she felt his nose bump her muzzle in greeting.

Wolves as a whole were a touchy bunch, they enjoyed skin to skin or fur to fur contact so their interaction felt completely natural to her, especially considering who it was. Caroline couldn't deny it, even to herself that she had missed him, which was why she afforded herself a moment of weakness to reciprocate his affections. Later if she had to, she would just blame her wolf and what the time away had done to her to explain her actions.

His tawny coat held the familiar mix of smells that was uniquely Klaus; a scent that made her feel safe. She also noticed that the only scent she could pick up was his, and not of any other wolf, specifically Greta. It made her heart jump within her chest in joy, before she rubbed her head along his jaw and buried her nose into his neck.

The two of them continued reconnecting for several moments; it wasn't until she felt him put one of his paws up on top of her neck that she realized what he was really doing. Klaus wasn't just trying to show her attention or show that he might have missed her too, he was marking her; making sure that she was covered in his scent so that anyone who came near her, especially males, would know that she belonged to him. Well that was what he thought.

Turning her head quickly, Caroline lashed out, catching Klaus' leg between her teeth. She didn't bite hard enough to do permanent damage, but hard enough to let him know she wasn't happy, and just in case he didn't get the idea, she followed it with a deep growl. Klaus yelped at the attack, and pulled back though he didn't withdraw completely, letting her know that he understood but that she didn't scare him off. No longer wanting to be near him, Caroline took off, heading back towards her home. Unfortunately Klaus decided to follow her and stayed on her tail, literally, the whole way.

As they reached the clearing where the hunt began, Caroline used her anger to push her body to its limits in an attempt to speed up the process of her shifting back to human but Klaus still managed to best her, standing tall in front of her as she came back to herself. But if he thought that gave him the upper hand, he was mistaken for the second time that night.

"What the hell do you think you were doing?" Caroline yelled as she glared at him. "How dare you mark me like I am yours!"

"Because you are," Klaus snapped back.

"Well I have a feeling your girlfriend might have a bit of an issue with that." She acknowledged.

"Jealous, sweetheart?" He challenged.

Caroline thought to lie, but she knew he would know it was the moment it left her mouth. However her silence gave him an answer regardless. "It is eating away at you isn't it? Earlier, I could see the rage burning just underneath, something I recognized because I felt a similar rage when I found out that you were so quick to replace me."

"What are you talking about?" She asked confused. Caroline racked her brain to try and figure out what Klaus was talking about. Yes, she had gone on dates with guys, very casual dates that never went past the first one, so she had no idea who Klaus was talking about.

"You knew that your father sent wolves to keep an eye on you, did you not think that the news that you had a new beau would not reach my ears?" Klaus questioned but didn't let her finish. "Daniel said he saw you being quite intimate with a fellow classmate, tall lad, short hair, dark skin..."

"Jesse." Caroline said, as much to herself as to Klaus. "Not that I need to explain it to you but Jesse is and was not a boyfriend. He was a TA that was helping me with classes who became a friend but thought it was something more. He kissed me, which is probably what Daniel saw, but what he didn't see was me pulling away. He is nothing but a friend."

She could see that what she told Klaus surprised him; he had thought that she had so easily replaced him. She couldn't blame him, considering the way things were when she left. "What about Greta, Klaus? Do you care about her?"

"Yes," Klaus answered, and Caroline felt her chest clinch up at the words. "Although not as you believe us to be. We are friends albeit intimate ones, but only friends."

Though she had told herself and her friends that she was okay with his association with Greta, Caroline couldn't stop the combination of relief and satisfaction she felt at his confession.

"There is only one person I care about." Klaus stated. "And as much as you might want to ignore things between us, no matter how far away you run, it doesn't change that you are mine Caroline."

Before Caroline could argue back, Klaus was in front of her, so close that she could feel the heat of his body, as well as his breath on her face when he cupped her cheek. "Just as I am yours and have been since the first day we met. You and I are mates."

At his declaration and his touch, Caroline couldn't help but close her eyes at the sensations that overtook her. The bond between them felt just as intense as it had before she left, more so possibly due to how long they had been apart and all she wanted to do was wrap herself into it, into him. Her wolf wanted to roll in his scent before letting him take her in a primal way that would make her body sing. The intensity of her desire scared her and she knew that she was falling into its trap. So instead of giving in, Caroline pulled back yet before she could turn tail and run; Klaus grabbed her and stopped her escape. "I'm not making it that easy on you love; I'm not letting you run away from me again. Not until you talk to me."

Caroline could see by the look in his eyes how serious he was, his dominance flowing off him in waves, and knew she was stuck. Suddenly very aware of how naked both of them were, and not wanting to have this conversation in that state, she nodded as she said. "Fine, but put some clothes on first. I can't talk to you seriously like this."

A cheeky smile twitched on his full lips at her words. "What's the matter, love? Is my nakedness too much of a distraction for you?"

"As if that were true." Caroline said as she grabbed the first pair of sweats that she thought might remotely fit him and threw them at him while she looked for something for herself to wear. Wolves knew not to wear their favorite clothes on the night of a run; you never knew what might happen to them.

"Wouldn't be the first time, or the second or third…" He trailed off as he pulled the pants on over his long legs just as Caroline pulled a large t-shirt over her head. It only fell to her mid thigh, but it was enough to make her feel a bit more comfortable.

"So what do you want to talk about?" Caroline demanded, making sure to keep a little bit of distance between them while also trying to ignore how the sweatpants sat low on his hips.

"I want to talk about you," Klaus explained. "And why you took off without a word to me, waiting until I was out of town for your father instead of talking to me face to face. I never knew you to be a coward Caroline."

Caroline flinched at the words, at the harsh statement, though she didn't argue because they were true. How she had left him had been very cowardly. Only because she knew if she had she probably wouldn't have left. But it was something she had felt she had to do even it was one of the hardest things, if not thee hardest thing she had done in her young life.

Looking into those same eyes now, she answered him. "Because I knew if I saw you, you'd try to talk me out of it...and I knew that you would probably succeed. And if only for a little bit, I needed to get out of this town."

"And away from me." Klaus added.

"Yes, but not the way you are thinking." Caroline admitted. "I was scared."

"What are you so afraid of?"

"You." She answered her voice louder than it needed to me. "I'm afraid of you."

"How could you be afraid of me? I would never do anything to hurt you." Klaus declared.

"Because I never planned to meet the man who was my forever when I was 17!" Caroline exclaimed, stunning him at her admission. "All I ever wanted before that was to have a small chunk of my life to be mine! To be somewhere where I wasn't just the future Alpha female, but Caroline Forbes."

"Then you came to town, and I fought the pull towards you for as long as I could. Nevertheless, things got so intense between us so fast, causing my head to spin. And I saw how the pack looked at us and I knew what they were thinking. With my meeting you, the security of the pack's leadership was ensured and they would expect us to have a mating ceremony as soon as possible and start having kids. It just became too much. I felt like I was losing myself, just like I always feared I would."

"So being away at school, away from your pack is better?"

"It's...simpler." She replied. "I'm just like every other student and I don't have so much on my shoulders, worrying what people will think if I make the wrong decision."

"But is it better?" He repeated as he reached up to tuck a wild curl behind her ear, invading her space again but she did nothing to stop him. "Are you happy?"

Caroline found that she couldn't reply him, because she didn't know the answer. Was she happy? She enjoyed school, the challenge it gave her and the opportunity to meet new people, try new things but she still felt like a part of her was missing. A part of her that she suddenly felt restored now that she was home with her pack and around her mate.

"If you have to think about it Caroline, I think that gives you your answer." Klaus argued.

"Fine, yes, school isn't perfect either. I don't have the feeling of being smothered but it's also a bit lonely." She admitted. "I have friends and activities, but I feel like I was missing...something."

Klaus didn't need her to explain what that something was, because it was the same way he had felt since she left. As if there was an emptiness inside him that couldn't be filled, no matter how hard he tried, when she wasn't there. "Answer me something else, did it ever cross your mind to ask me if maybe I would want to go with you?"

"Yeah, as if that was a possibility." Caroline scoffed in disbelief, but then she saw the seriousness on his face, her skepticism died. She could see the truth in his eyes, he really would have gone with her if she'd had asked. That bit of knowledge changed everything for her. She had always believed that he would never want to leave Mystic Falls again.

"Klaus." She sighed as she met his gaze again, but before she could say more, he closed the distance between them and kissed her. It was the opposite of what she expected, not rough and passionate but soft and gentle, loving. As if was trying to show her how he still felt and it sadly ended quicker than she wanted it to, causing her to whimper as he broke the kiss, leaning his forehead against hers.

"The pack has become a part of me but they are not my home, that's you." He whispered, his lips brushing hers as he spoke. "All you have to do is say the words Caroline."

Caroline tried to gather her wits out of the fog that Klaus' kiss had put her but before she could, several members of the pack, both in wolf and human form, came crashing out of the nearby tree line effectively breaking the moment. They were all laughing loudly, not aware of what they had interrupted even as they made their way towards Caroline and Klaus. Caroline opened her mouth to say something but Klaus cut her off. "We can talk more about this later, unless you plan on disappearing in the dead of night again?"

Caroline shook her head, trying not to let the jab bother her too much before saying. "No, Dad wants me here for a few weeks."

Klaus nodded before he let himself be pulled away, leaving Caroline with a lot to think about.

_FLASHBACK_

_"Caroline, you have to calm down or you are going to make me wreck the car. My dad will lose his shit if I do considering it would be the second car I've totaled since I got my license." Lexi declared._

_"Third." Bonnie piped up from the back seat._

_"Hey the Jeep doesn't count, Dad said it wasn't technically totaled, he just said it was so that my mom would let him give me his car so he could buy the Thunderbird." Lexi retorted. "But seriously Care, you need to chill."_

_"You don't think I've tried?" She asked. "Every time I think I have things under control, poof he shows up with that incredible body, charming accent, and those damn dimples. Not to mention that when he is near me for longer than a minute, all I can think about is…"_

_"Him ripping your clothes off and going at it for hours in the woods?" Lexi finished for her, grinning widely when Caroline glared at her._

_"Yes."_

_"Well isn't that how it is supposed to be? Nature's way of ensuring that the species thrives, making sure that the mates desire each other?" Bonnie asked._

_"Clearly nature sucks." Caroline grumbled. Since that day at the laundromat, she and Klaus had entered into a friendship of sorts, which had her spending more time with him. While spending that time with him was creating chaos within her, both her hormones and her thoughts as she got to know him, it did give her wolf a sense of peace. At least for the moment, soon she knew that the wolf would be demanding more._

_Her statement seemed to amuse Lexi, if the chuckle she heard was any indication. "It's not funny, I have plans, I want to live a life away from here, if only for a few years before I'm shoved into something I didn't ask for."_

_"Getting involved with Klaus doesn't have to mean the end of that." Lexi said as she pulled her car up in front of Caroline's house._

_After saying goodbye to her friends, Caroline began to make her way to her door when she heard a noise from the side of the house by a set of large bushes. She brushed it off as an animal until she heard it again, this time the hair on the back of her neck rising as her instincts picked up that someone or something was watching her. She turned towards it, letting out a growl when the bushes begin to move but it died in her throat when the culprit made his appearance._

_The wolf that limped towards her was covered in mud, leaves, and what smelled like blood but she instantly recognized Klaus in his wolf form. She didn't know what had happened to him but he was definitely in bad shape. While it seemed that he was there looking for help, she approached him cautiously. Trying to help an injured wolf was a dangerous undertaking, helping an injured werewolf could be deadly. She held her hand out in front of her for him to catch more of her scent as she spoke gently. "It's okay; you're safe. I'm not going to hurt you. I just want to look at you and help."_

_After a few more words of encouragement and steps, Caroline's hand brushed against the tip of Klaus' nose gently before moving over his head and down his back to his leg. Klaus flinched a little at her touch but made no move to stop her explorations, not even whimpering when she found the cause, at least the big one, for his distress._

_"Oh my god," Caroline exclaimed when her fingers touched what felt like a spike lodged into his side. She wasn't able to see too much of it, and what she could feel was slick by Klaus blood. "We need to get you inside, I'll call Dr. Fell and…"_

_Klaus cut her off by growling, and she whipped her hand away from him before she realized he wasn't growling at her, just her words. He didn't want her calling the doctor. "But we need to get it out of you, if we don't you won't be able to turn and it won't heal. We need the doctor."_

_Her argument was only met with another growl before his muzzle moved under hand, nuzzling it to tell her something that he was able to vocalize. He wanted her to do it, to pull out the stake. She gulped at the thought while they moved inside. The house was empty, her mother and father were out, she couldn't recall where at the moment as she thought about what she needed to help Klaus._

_She took him to the large mudroom where her mother kept spare towels for those times when they might come in wet after a run as well as a few other things. She tossed an old blanket on the floor, something Klaus was grateful for if the noise he made when he collapsed on it was any indication._

_After grabbing a few necessities, she kneeled next to him and carefully began to examine him closer. His fur was a mess, matted and wet with blood but it looked like the only injury she could find was the spike. Caroline didn't think it went in too deep, but it needed to come out. It appeared to be just a crude piece of carved wood, something that might have been carelessly thrown away that was until she touched it, and it burned her skin._

_"Shit…" She hissed. There was only one thing that would cause that kind of reaction, wolfsbane. The spike was laced with it and she couldn't believe that Klaus was still conscious with how the poison would weaken him. She quickly moved to clean the area as much as she could, both of the wolfsbane and blood so that she would be able to grip the wood. Once that was done, she wrapped her hands around it before looking down at Klaus._

_"I'm sorry." Caroline whispered. "But this is going to hurt."_

_Moving quickly, she pulled the spike out before she could rethink doing it, ignoring the burning of her skin before tossing it to the side. Klaus let out a loud snarl, snapping his jaws but she ignored him as she used a towel to put pressure on the wound to stop the bleeding._

_By the time the bleeding stopped, his growls had dropped to a whimper and he lay exhausted on the blood soaked blanket. Caroline simply stroked her hand down his back, trying to comfort him. She knew Klaus turning was the best way for him to heal, speeding up their already accelerated healing capabilities, but it would be extremely hard for him given what he'd been through. "Klaus, it's up to you now."_

_He looked at her as if he was waiting for her to leave, and she probably should have but she shook her head. "I'm not leaving, I'll be right here."_

_Relief shown clearly in his blue eyes as he nuzzled her hand; Caroline smiling slightly when she felt his warm tongue as well. The two of them stayed like that for several minutes, Klaus taking comfort from her touch as he gathered his strength. She was beginning to worry that the injury had been too much for him when she heard the first shifting of his bones. Despite what he'd been through his turn happened quickly, showing a measure of strength only known to be in alphas, not that she was completely surprised. Alphas were typically mated with other alphas, another of nature's way to help their species survive, and Caroline had been born an alpha female._

_Taking the only unsoiled blanket, Caroline wrapped it around Klaus' naked form but not before checking on his wound. The skin had closed and had a bright pink appearance, looking as if it was weeks old rather than minutes. Another turn and you would never know it was there aside from a small scar, a souvenir of the wolfsbane that she had been unable to completely wash away._

_"You're going to make me self conscious love if you keep staring." Klaus teased, his voice only containing the smallest trace of strain._

_"Pfft, not with your ego." Caroline responded with a roll of her eyes. "How do you feel?"_

_"Better than I felt when I got here." He replied._

_"Not surprised now that you don't have a stake protruding from your side. Why on earth were you out at Pastor Young's farm? Didn't anyone warn you about it not being a safe place for our kind?" She asked. The humans of Mystic Falls knew the truth about the wolves, and as long as there was no violence, they lived in peace. Had for generations. However Pastor Young was the exception to that, he believed the wolves were servants of hell and it was his duty to protect the humans from them. Many just ignored him, and stayed away from his land which had been covered with traps, such as spikes coated in wolfsbane, to keep the wolves away._

_"It wasn't my intention to cross into his territory, I was hunting and didn't realize where I was until it was too late." Klaus answered. "Then all I could think about was getting help."_

_"The smarter thing to do would be to head into town to Dr. Fell's office." Caroline chastised. "You could have bled out, still could have once you got here, I'm not a doctor."_

_"I know that," He acknowledged, "But when I was injured, you were the only thing on mind."_

_"Why?" She asked with bated breath. She had an idea why but she wanted to hear him say it._

_"Because I might be part of the pack now, but I've been on my own for a long time, and I don't trust anyone enough to be at their mercy." Klaus explained before he caught her gaze. "Except you."_

_"Klaus…" Caroline sighed, his confession melting her resistance to him away, something that must have shown clearly on her face. He kept his eyes on hers as he leaned his head down while Caroline raised hers._

_Very gently Klaus pressed his lips to hers. He kept the kiss soft as he moved his other arm around her waist. Caroline responded just as gently to his kiss as her own arms slowly made their way to his shoulders._

_After a moment Klaus pulled back a little, his eyes scanning her face before he captured her lips again. When he ran his tongue over her bottom lip, Caroline couldn't help but moan softly. Encouraged by her response, he parted her lips and tangled his tongue with hers._

_Caroline growled deep in her throat as she lifted her arms to wrap around his neck and opened her mouth wider. He teased her tongue with the tip of his, drawing it into his mouth and sucking on it gently, before releasing it and thrusting his own tongue back into her mouth._

_After a few moments Klaus released her lips slowly. Her eyes fluttered open and fell on his. Caroline cleared her throat, "That was…"_

_"You are a glorious kisser." Klaus said, cutting her off._

_A shy smile lit up her face as she stared up at him. She was glad that he seemed to be as affected by the kiss as she was. "You're pretty good yourself."_

_Klaus smiled back at her before he slipped his arm around her waist and gently pulled her towards him. Thinking of his injury, she attempted to stop him. "You're hurt."_

_"I'm fine." He assured her, "As long as you don't push me away."_

_A low groan escaped her throat and she pulled Klaus closer to her. "Definitely not."_

_"Good." Klaus growled before covering her lips with his once more._

**Look at that, you guys got not one but two Klaroline kisses! I hope you liked the seeing them in their wolf forms, it was fun writing them.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello lovelies! Your eyes aren't deceiving you, I updated. Sorry for the long wait, there is a lengthy note at the bottom of this as well as one in my profile to explain. Since it has been so long, you might want to reread the first few parts of this story to refamiliarize yourself with it, I know I did!**

**Huge thanks to Ravyn (cupcakemolotov) ****and Bo (MissBootjah) for their help with some lines in this story that I was stuck on, as well as Alex, (klarolineepiclove), Katie (hybridlovelies) and Jay (klovec) for their betaing help. **

Part 4

After she and Klaus parted ways, Caroline left the hunt, grateful that most of the pack was still busy running through the woods or doing...other things to notice her absence. She needed solitude, to think about her conversation with Klaus. Her first thought was to turn into her other form again but she would not find solitude given that the woods were full of other wolves. Instead she retreated to her bedroom.

She changed into a pair of pajamas, trying not to notice the fact that Klaus' scent lingered on her skin, tend curled up under the covers on her bed. Her thoughts raced through her mind in a loop, replaying the events of the night in her head, especially the conversation with Klaus.

Had she been wrong from the beginning about how she handled things with him? At the time things had been so clear, so black and white; she wanted to go away to school and leave Mystic Falls. Klaus wanted nothing more than to stay with the pack. Therefore she had never asked him to go with her, not even chancing a goodbye. Caroline knew that her actions hurt him, but she didn't see any other way. Now it looked like she couldn't have been more wrong. The sun was just peeking through the curtains when Caroline finally gave into her body's need to sleep, not waking until midafternoon.

Despite wanting to just stay in her room for the rest of the day, Caroline knew the self-doubt would only drive her nuts. She decided to seek out someone who listen and give her advice. The alpha female of her pack, her mother.

After a quick shower, to wash the rest of Klaus' scent from her skin, Caroline searched the house for her mom. She found her in the kitchen just as Caroline finished braiding her damp hair. "Hey Mom."

"Caroline." Her mother welcomed her with a smile and a big hug, obviously happy to have her daughter home again. "It's about time you woke up; I thought you were going to sleep the day away. I take it that means you enjoyed the hunt."

"It was incredible, as much as I love school, I can't have nights like last night there," Caroline confessed as breaking away from the hug. Her mother knew how much Caroline's wolf would enjoy the time spent with the pack. It's the reason her father arranged for the hunt, to celebrate her homecoming and give her the wildness her wolf craved. "Well, not without scaring the entire population of the campus half to death."

"Sorry that I missed it," her mother said.

"Yeah, duty calls right?" In addition to her mother's role in the pack as Alpha Female, she was also the town's sheriff; her protective instincts extended to include the humans in town. On duty the night before, her mother missed the hunt. Her deputies were a mix of wolf and human, which coupled with the fact that the mayor was human, gave the town a feeling of balance between the two species that shared the town. They had similar setups throughout the territory with other wolves that reported back to their Alpha.

"That it does. Luckily it doesn't seem like any of the younger wolves created any trouble in town, they kept to the woods and fields," Liz said. She went to the fridge and pulled out food for Caroline, somehow knowing that her daughter would be hungry. Liz put together a sandwich before handing it to Caroline.

"The pack was thrilled to see me; I think I might have a few bruised ribs from the hugs, most likely from Lexi," Caroline told her a smile on her face when she thought about her friend. She definitely needed to see if she and Bonnie wanted to come over for a girls' night before she headed back to school.

"They most likely are, that girl missed you," Liz commented before adding. "Though I can think of someone who beats her out for missing you the most I'm sure.

"Subtle Mom, real subtle," Caroline mumbled before taking a large bite of the sandwich. She tried not to moan at how good it was. She should have eaten before going bed. She went on a hunt on an empty stomach which was difficult given wolves' high metabolism. Especially when turning. She could eat pretty much anything and not gain weight. It was something her friends at school had envied.

"Did you really expect me to not say anything when the pack gossip is all aflutter with the news that you two were seen talking last night? Everyone has been keeping an eye on the two of you to see when you'd come face to face since you hit the town line," her mother explained a knowing look on her face.

Caroline rolled her eyes as she picked at the edges of her sandwich. Wolves were notorious gossips as a whole, but add in the fact that Mystic Falls was a small town, the combination was far worse. She wouldn't be surprised if every wolf in town knew every detail of both encounters she had with Klaus since she came back, even the younger wolves. That wasn't something she missed while she away.

"Talk to me Caroline, I can tell you there's something on your mind you want to talk about. You haven't been away so long that I can't read you," Liz said as she began to busy herself with cleaning up. Her mother could always multi-task and still give her daughter all of her focus.

Though she sought out her mother, Caroline was now hesitating for some reason. She would have preferred to bring it up herself but there was no going back now. But, before she asked for her advice, she wanted to ask something else first. "Klaus and Greta."

"Ah, I was wondering if you were going to ask about them. I wanted to tell you, but whenever your father or I brought him up, you were always so quick to change topics or end the conversation," Liz said. "Did one of the boys tell you about them or was it Bonnie and Lexi?"

"Neither. I ran into the two of them yesterday in front of the house. Klaus was here to meet with Dad, I assume and Greta showed up to give him a ride. She was quick to let me know of how 'close' they've become while I've been gone," Caroline said, her last words coming out almost as a growl.

Reaching over, her mother brushed a stray curl out of her face before lifting her daughter's chin to look her in the eye. "Caroline, did you not consider that something like that might happen?"

Caroline shrugged, not saying anything so Liz went on. "While I supported your need to go away to school, you did what you felt was best for you but you have to realize there were some consequences, like Klaus being with someone else."

"I did, but I guess I never really thought it would happen until I saw it with my own eyes."

"We wolves want nothing more than affection and touch, especially from our family and mates," her mother told her. "Klaus was a lone wolf for years, but at the time he didn't know what it was like to be around a pack. And while Klaus still had the pack, he didn't have you; the loneliness was eating away at him. So, when I first learned of him and Greta, I wasn't surprised; upset naturally, knowing it would hurt you, but not surprised."

Ironically, Caroline of all people could understand the loneliness that her mother talked about Klaus feeling. She had been a lone wolf since she left for school, only having contact with other wolves when her parents visited and one other instance when traveling with her girlfriends. Those infrequent interactions were not enough to sate her wolf's need for touch. It left her wolf edgy often and lonely. It was worse when she first got to campus, but got better once she met people and made friends with people who didn't think it weird if she was a bit affectionate. They thought her loving nature was a part of her. Their attention was enough to pacify her wolf, so she never needed a different type of attention from members of the opposite sex. Klaus, however, chose to go to Greta.

By the way her mother was looking at her; Caroline knew that the sadness she was feeling must have been apparent on her face, especially when she added. "I do not believe that he has any feelings for her, his heart is still yours."

"I'm not sure if that makes me feel any better," Caroline admitted. The night before she felt relief at Klaus' confession for not caring about Greta, because she selfishly didn't want him to, but it still stung to know he was with the other girl while he cared about her. Not that she held it against him. "I almost wish that had been able to avoid him while I was here…."

"No chance of that," her mother interjected. "And I don't think you really would have wanted that. If he hadn't sought you out, you would have found him. The two of you wouldn't have been able to stay apart knowing you were so close to one another."

"He found me in the woods, during the hunt," Caroline explained, unable to keep the small smile from her face as she remembered the few minutes they shared, how good it felt to be near him, to feel him. At least until Klaus took things too far by marking her. If she was honest with herself, the thought of doing the same thing to him crossed her mind when he saw him with Greta. "He followed me out when I tried to leave. He insisted I talk to him, wouldn't let me leave until I did."

"That doesn't shock me a bit. I think he's the only other person I know who can out stubborn you," Liz declared. "Did you work things out?"

"Yes," Caroline nodded. "And no. He wanted to know why I didn't tell him I was leaving and why I went away without saying goodbye. He also asked why I didn't ask him to go with me."

Her mother somehow didn't looked completely stunned at Caroline's admission. As if she knew that Klaus going with her could have been an option if she had just asked. Holding her mother's gaze, she asked, her voice soft. "I didn't think he would be willing to go with me, I was wrong. I messed up Mom, and I don't know how to fix it."

"Maybe the two of you should talk more after he finishes with your dad."

"He's here?" Caroline asked. "In the house?"

"In your father's office. A guest to the territory showed up this morning wanting to talk to the Alpha. After hearing his request for an audience, your dad thought it was best that Klaus be with him. They've been in there since shortly before you came downstairs," Liz announced.

Before Caroline could respond, the door to her father's office opened and he bellowed out. "Caroline, come into my office. You as well Liz."

Caroline glanced over at her mother, who shrugged in reply before the two followed his order and went to his office. Caroline studied her father's face; he had what she had used to call his 'Alpha' face, stern and all business. As she made her way through the door, she caught sight of Klaus. He wore a similar expression, his jaw clenched. He was also angry about something.

However, it was the third person, another male, in the room that confused her the most. He was one of the last people she expected to see again. "Brady?"

"Caroline," the male wolf greeted, moving towards her until a growl from Klaus made him halt.

"I see that you two have indeed met," her father said from behind her before turning to his wife. "This is Brady, and he is here to claim Caroline, he says he is her mate."

/

_"Sweetheart, we're going to give the neighbors a show if your hands keep wandering like that." _

_"I'm sorry, am I making things too hard for you?" Caroline snickered from her position behind him, yet didn't withdraw her hands from where they ran along his chest. Watching Klaus struggle with opening his apartment door was fun. His scent combined with arousal, along with a hint of her perfume. All her wolf wanted was to press up against his skin and breathe him in. Leaning forward she crushed her breasts flat against his back, running her nose against the curve of his neck to do just that. Her lips curled up as her actions caused another muttered curse as he loudly fumbled with the keys. _

_Both sides of her, the human and wolf, loved seeing the effect she was having on him. It wasn't just sexual attraction. Sure his desire for her was always there, simmering just beneath the surface when he looked at her, mirroring the desire she felt for him. However the nervous anticipation that rolled off of him now told her that he felt more than lust for her, something she already knew but it was nice to confirm._

_A few months passed since Klaus showed up injured at her house and the two shared their first kiss. The night Caroline decided to give him a chance. In that time, the friendship they shared grew into something more and now they could no longer wait to know another side of each other._

_Finally managing to get the door unlocked, Klaus shoved it open, pulling Caroline inside with him and slamming the door behind them. As soon as it shut Klaus pushed her back against it, not a sliver of space between them as he angled his mouth over hers. His kiss, demanding, tongue moving aggressively past her lips, felt different this time. He was trying to claim her, just as she was planning to claim him._

_Her hands threaded through his hair as she pressed against him, allowing her to grind her body against him as she clutched him close, and moved her mouth over his, matching his aggression. When the kisses grew frantic and sloppy, Klaus pulled back, his teeth giving a tug of her bottom lip before ending the kiss. Caroline released a protest before turning it into a moan. When he moved to nip at the pulse on her neck, his stubble scraped against her skin in way that sent shivers straight through her. It caused her body to grow even hotter. "Klaus…"_

_"Do you want me to stop?" he whispered hotly against her skin. "If you do, tell me now and I will stop. Despite the fact that my wolf wants nothing more than to take you... as do I."_

_"I want you." She panted before slipping out of his arms and out of his grasp, giggling at his confused expression when he looked over his shoulder at her. While her wolf wanted him, she also liked the idea of playing with him, making him work for it just a little. Bringing her hands up to her collar, Caroline began to slip the buttons through their holes, undoing her blouse. She loved the flash of gold in his eyes while he took in the exposed skin of her stomach and breasts. "But you'll' have to catch me."_

_His apartment was not large; just one bedroom, with a living area and small kitchen, after all Klaus didn't need much space. Many of the other wolves he tended to spent most of their time at the house of his alpha. His apartment had enough space for an adequate hunt. At least for the kind Caroline wanted. _

_She might have been the prey, but instead of trying to escape her predator, she led him right where she wanted, his bedroom. She barely passed the door frame when he caught her, taking hold of her wrist again and spinning her around. He brought her hard against his chest, but the momentum carried them forward, causing them to tumble onto his bed, trapping her underneath him. Caroline enjoyed the contrast of the soft mattress at her back and his hard body at her front, the wetness between her legs increasing and the scent of her arousal hung heavy in the air._

_They lay there for a moment, nose to nose, breathing hard, with excitement coursing through their bodies. Klaus brushed her hair away from her face, ran his nose along her neck and jaw before he looked back into her eyes. "Caught you." _

_"Yes, you did," __she said. He kissed her, this time more passionate than before. The blood pumped wildly through her veins._

_Klaus slid his hands along her thighs, positioning her knees around his hips so that their sexes were that much closer. Enjoying the feeling, Caroline couldn't stop herself and rolled her hips against his hardness. Klaus growled. It rumbled low in his throat, his hands clenched against her hips. Using the momentary distraction to her advantage, Caroline rolled them over so she was on top, astride him. _

_Caroline tore her mouth away from his and sat up. Her hands slid away from his neck and down his chest to the hem of his shirt which she quickly began pushing up. "I don't think it's fair that I'm the only shirtless one here do you?"_

_"Not to argue semantics here love, but you do technically still have your shirt on." Klaus declared as his hands rose from her hips, under the shirt that though unbuttoned still hung on her body. Caressing the soft skin he found underneath, his hands moved up until they met the lace of her bra. After he undid the front clasp, his warm, calloused hands cupped her breasts, the rough skin of his palms against her hardened nipples sent shivers of arousal and Caroline was beyond grateful she decided to wear that bra._

_She watched him knead her breasts through hooded eyes but the heated sensations that he caused on her heated flesh was over too briefly. Klaus' hands moved up to her shoulders to slip the material off her body; his eyes drank in all of the bare skin now on display to his hungry gaze. His stare so intense, Caroline felt a little self-conscious, at least until he said. "Beautiful." _

_Sitting up, Klaus lifted Caroline up enough so that his mouth was even with her full breasts; his ruby lips closed over one of her pert nipples, his tongue laving her while his hand cupped the other breast, kneading it expertly. The dual sensations wreaked havoc through her body, the throbbing of her core increasing until she was desperate for relief. Both her wolf and her whined in need. Caroline arched her back, grinding down on his erection for the friction she desperately needed, but it wasn't enough. She needed to feel him, to taste him; she needed more of his skin. _

_Her hands clawed madly at his shirt, almost ripping it off, she yanked it upwards. Klaus had to pull away from his worship of her breasts to allow for the shirt to go over his head. It made Caroline wish she had ripped the stupid shirt off. Nevertheless she achieved her goal and she now had a shirtless Klaus to explore. _

_Pushing him back to the bed, Caroline ran her hands over the muscles of his chest, and down to curved V of his lower abdomen causing his breath to hitch ever so slightly. He was the one that was beautiful, all toned, lean muscle that flexed and moved as she ran her fingers over it. She had seen him shirtless before of course, that night at her house, as well as other times when they changed and ran together. This time was altogether different. Unable to resist, the blonde she-wolf leaned forward to press her lips to the muscles beneath her fingers, her tongue coming out to trace patterns and tasting his skin as she moved lower. The combination of their mixed scents on his skin drove her desire higher and higher. _

_She made it down to the waistband of his pants, had just pressed a kiss an inch above his straining erection, when she felt his hands under her arms, hauling her up his body. Her gasp silenced by his mouth on hers, which he took full advantage of to slide his tongue into her mouth, tangling with hers. Entranced by his talented tongue, Caroline almost missed the feel of his hands attacking the zipper of her jeans, trying to rid her of the article of clothing as best he could. In his haste, Klaus forgot that her position didn't exactly allow for it. Chuckling against his lips at his impatience, she spoke. "Problems?"_

_"This would be much easier if you were wearing one of the dresses you are so fond of." _

_"True, but dresses aren't exactly the proper attire for going on a motorcycle ride with your boyfriend," she mumbled against lips. "Unless you want to show everyone you pass by exactly what is underneath."_

_Caroline could tell by the possessive look in his eye what he thought of that idea. Drawing back from his mouth and she slithered off his lap to stand in front of him. _

_Eyes locked on his darkened ones, Caroline ran her hands under the waistband of her jeans, pushing them down to her ankles, taking her panties along with them. Kicking them as well as her flats off, she moved back to hover over Klaus, this time reaching for the fly of his jeans. He lifted his hips to help her remove the last barrier between them. She unashamedly licked her lips when she caught sight of his erection, imagining how good it would feel inside her, perfectly fitting. He noticed her perusal. The smug smirk was anything to go by. Rolling her eyes at his ego, she moved to straddle him once more. _

_As soon as her wet center glided over his hard cock and his mouth closed over her nipple again, his teeth lightly tugging on it, stars danced in front of her eyes. He continued to tease her with his mouth while his hands gripped her ass, using his hold on her to flip them over so Caroline was on her back again. She knew it was a dominance thing for him and was about to complain about alpha males when his fingers moved between her thighs, stroking her core. His long fingers pushed inside her while his thumb circled her clit, and she climbed to orgasm quicker than she could ever remember. _

_Letting go of her breast with a soft pop, his eyes glowing wolf gold met hers and she knew that he saw the same gold of her wolf looking back at him, when he smiled wickedly at her. "Come for me sweetheart."_

_The huskiness of his voice, the thrust of his fingers, and the sudden increased pressure of his thumb on her clit sent her over the edge, caused those stars to explode in front of her as the orgasm washed over her. Klaus continued to stroke her through it, prolonging the sensations until the last shudders passed through her. He withdrew his hand from her then, bringing them to his mouth to lick clean, humming as he did. "Next time, I intend to taste much more of you. Until you are screaming my name and begging for more but right now I need to be inside of you." _

_Caroline whimpered at the image his words produced in her head, his tongue licking away at her slit while her fingers tugged at his curls. Of course she also thought about repaying the favor by tasting him as well and she knew that they would have to try it after they got the first round of their system. _

_Klaus moved to cover her body again, settling between her spread legs but was halted by Caroline's hand on his chest, a question in her eyes. "Condom?"_

_"Condom?" he repeated, before the word seemed to click for him. _

_"I have one in my pocket if you don't have one." _

_"No, I have one." Moving quickly but carefully Klaus reached over to his side table, she guessed to grab what she had asked for. She might have found her mate, but she was in no way ready for all that it entailed, namely pups. _

_As he began opening the foil packet in his hand, she reached for him, her hand wrapped around his wide girth to stroke him, though he was so hard he didn't really need the added stimulus. Caroline enjoyed the weight of him in her hand, the velvety yet hard feel of him as well as the reaction her touch pulled from him. _

_She stopped when he moved to roll the condom on himself, spreading her legs wider as he settled on top of her again. Caroline could feel his shaft against her entrance as he lined himself up to enter her but he did not enter her yet. Instead he took her mouth in a teasing opened mouthed kiss, full of licks and bites, until she felt as if she was melting into the mattress. He thrust into her then, sheathing himself fully inside her, her back to arching as he stretched her. She felt so full, stretched tight yet they fit together perfectly, as they should. Once adjusted, she moved her hips just enough to signal for him to move, and move he did. _

_Gripping her hip with one hand and holding himself above her with the other, he pulled out of her until only the tip of his cock before plunging back inside her. Over and over again he thrust into her; long, slow, deep strokes that made her claw at his back and buck her hips to meet his. The combination of him thrusting into her and the caress of his hand over the skin of her body stoked the fire inside her. When he wasn't kissing her, he was whispering into her ear, telling her how beautiful he thought she was, how she felt around his cock until it all became too much and she exploded again, crying her mate's name as she did. Moments later he followed her, groaning her name into her neck as he came. _

_Spent, Klaus collapsed on top of her, and she snuggled into his neck as she ran her hands over his back. He ran his hand up and down the leg she still had wrapped around his hip. Their bodies glistened with a thin layer of sweat while the two lay there recovering, breathing heavily until Klaus propped himself up to look down at her. _

_"I'll be right back." Klaus said as he gently nipped her bottom lip before pulling back and crawling off the bed. "I just need to clean up."_

_"I'll be right here," Caroline said as she pulled the sheet closer to her body to try and ward off the sudden chill now that his body heat was no longer hot against her skin. She kept her eyes glued to his very fine, very naked ass as he walked away before disappearing into the bathroom. _

_Once the door was shut, she closed her eyes as she thought of what they had just done, the memories replaying through her mind as well as the sensations. She brought her hands up above her head, stretching the muscles that had just been given the most delicious workout. Her wolf felt content and sated after being so thoroughly claimed by her mate, the air permeated with the combination of their scents as well as sex and Caroline couldn't help the smile that blossomed on her face._

_Spotting his Henley nearby where she had tossed in her rush to get him naked, Caroline extracted herself from the bedding to retrieve it, pulling it on. While she knew he'd prefer her naked, his possessive side would delight in her wearing his clothes, immersing her even more in his scent. _

_As she turned to get back into bed, his sketchpad caught her eye, a very familiar face looking back at her. It was her own face. It wasn't surprising since his first gift to her was a drawing of her, the way she looked the first day he met her. This sketch was different. It was her face of course, but along with her human face, there was also Caroline in wolf form. The way he combined the two sides of her was beautiful but what took her breath away was that somehow the adoration she had seen his eyes when he looked at her, was evident on the paper as well. _

_"You were not supposed to see that yet," he said from behind her. "It's not finished."_

_Caroline jumped a bit at his voice. Focused on the sketch, she didn't realize he left the bathroom and came up behind her, leaving only inches between them. Caroline turned; her shoulder bumped his chest as she did. "I'm sorry, I wasn't snooping…"_

_"No need to be sorry," Klaus assured her. "It was out in the open and easy to see."_

_When he took the book from her hands and began to close it, she placed her hands over top of his. "Can I see more of them? You've only ever showed me a couple pieces of your work and I'd like to see more." _

_From the first time she met him, Klaus had always given off an air of confidence so it was startling to Caroline to see self-doubt in his eyes. Though she thought his art was beautiful and that he was talented, he seemed not so sure. Not wanting to pressure him, she said, "It is okay, I understand. I've heard artists like their privacy."_

_"No, it is fine Caroline," he declared, seeming to have regained his confidence. "I would like you to see them." _

_Pleased that he was willing to share this part of himself with her, Caroline kissed him softly in thanks. After pulling on his discarded boxers, Klaus retrieved a different sketch book and flipped it open before handing it to her. _

_As she began to study the pages, he slid his arms around her waist and rested his chin on her shoulder, peering over it to provide details of the drawings. Unlike the ones he drew of her, those were mostly of places he'd been, places he'd visited as he looked for knowledge of his father. With each drawing came a story, and Caroline soaked them all up, fascinated as always to see what lay beyond the borders of her father's territory. "Wow, these are amazing."_

_"Thank you, love," he said, and she could tell by the tone of his voice that her complement pleased his wolf, liking the praise from its mate._

_"You've been so many places, seeing and experiencing so many things. I'm very jealous," she remarked as she continued to flip through the pages for another look. While she would always do her duty to the pack, she always planned to get out and figure out who she was before she took over as Alpha Female. First school, then maybe traveling. And now that she met Klaus, and things were going so well between them, maybe she'd have some company. The idea thrilled her. _

_"It is you that I'm envious of."_

_"Me?" Caroline asked, wide eyed she turned around so she could look at him face to face. When she did, she noticed a bit of melancholy in his eyes. "What do I have to be jealous of? I've never really been anywhere."_

_"But you know where you came from, had a place where you belong, you've always known," he answered. _

_ "The world is a magnificent place to explore. I've seen quite a bit more of it than most people and I always thought I'd explore it further but there is something about this place, about having a pack, somewhere you belong. With you, everyone here, that's more important to me than stamps on my passport."_

_His words whooshed out all of the excitement bubbling inside Caroline. Despite all the beautiful places he'd been, things he might have done, he was the most content in Mystic Falls, with the pack he'd become a part of. Moreover it sounded like he never wanted to leave it. Caroline couldn't blame him. From what she knew, he'd lived his whole life without a pack or even another wolf and now he was surrounded by them, exactly what his wolf nature craved. _

_ Thinking back over his sketches, she realized there was a running theme in them that she hadn't picked up on before, loneliness. Now with the pack there for him, there was none._

_So now Caroline had a mate who didn't want to leave the territory, while she craved to do just that. What was she going to do?_

**I hope the flashback helped explain a little as to why Caroline thought that Klaus wouldn't be willing to leave with her when she went. And I hope you liked the introduction of Liz, she was fun to write. Any idea what is going on with their new visitor? **

**As for why it took me so long to update this, besides being super busy with my family and job in real life, (not to mention getting hacked and not having access to this account) for most of this year I've been experiencing very severe writing anxiety. I would have ideas to write, but then freeze when I went to do it, even getting mild panic attacks. It was so bad at one point that I thought of deleting this story and just stop writing all together but I was never quite ready to give up so I didn't. I am slowly making my way through it and I appreciate your patience and support as I did. **

**Also, I know waiting for a story that you enjoy to update can be frustrating, but please take into account that I do this as a hobby. I have gotten a couple of snarky reviews about me not updating, some I've deleted and some I haven't and those types of reviews do the exact opposite of what the person leaving them was probably intending to do, it does not make me want to jump and write, it just makes me mad. **

**Thank you again for reading. And please leave a review to let me know what you think.**


	5. Chapter 5

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hello Lovelies. I hope this update finds you well, sorry it's been so long. I won't take up your time with a long explanation, basically real life has been busy and somewhat shitty over the last few months and writing wasn't something on the front burner. Hope there are still a few of you reading this fic and will enjoy this part. I want to thank everyone who left a review or read the last part. Your response blew me away, I wasn't sure how Brady would go over, but your reviews were perfect.**

**Thanks to **marvellouskatie**, **klarolineepiclove**, and loveyou914 for their help with this. Writing from Klaus' POV was a bit tougher than I thought it would be.**

Part 5

Klaus watched her as the two women made their way into the Alpha's office. He focused on Caroline's face, wanting to see her reaction to what she was walking into. His wolf could not help but preen when he saw her gaze sought him out almost immediately. A bit of the tension in his body dissipated at the tenderness he saw there. At least, until her blue eyes moved from him to the other occupant in the room besides himself and Bill, and watched as they changed from recognition to confusion.

"Brady?" Caroline said, obviously familiar with the wolf enough to know his name. Jealousy coursed through Klaus. The fur beneath his skin ruffled, standing on edge. His claws and fangs pushed to come out, itching to lash out at the intruder. He wanted to do that from the moment that Brady had introduced himself to Bill and declared his intentions, but managed to keep his temper in check until the Alpha came to an official decision. He was starting to reach his limit.

"Caroline." Brady greeted, smiling as he stood and moved towards her.

Unable to stop himself, Klaus let out a low growl, a warning, while angling his body in a display of dominance. The move made it clear that the stranger would not be getting any closer to Caroline.

"I see that our visitor was correct and that the two of you have indeed met." The Alpha declared but Klaus did not take his eyes off the threat his wolf perceived in front of him. He had no doubt that his eyes glowed wolf gold but did nothing to force the wolf to retreat. He focused on Bill's explanation to Liz and Caroline.

"This is Brady Amell, and he is here to speak with us about Caroline, he claims he is her mate."

"Excuse me," Liz stated. "Did you just say that this stranger is claiming to be Caroline's mate?"

Before Bill could respond to his wife's question, Brady spoke up. "That is correct ma'am."

"And how may I ask do you know my daughter?" Liz questioned. The tone in her voice, one that Klaus was familiar with, was what everyone in the pack termed her 'sheriff' voice. One that meant business and that she had no time to listen to anyone's bullshit.

"We met over the Thanksgiving day break, in Florida while I was with some friends from school." Caroline answered before looking at Brady. "How did you know I was here?"

"You posted online that you were traveling home for the holidays," Brady replied. "Since you said you don't go home to your pack's inner territory much, I thought it was the best time to come and officially make my claim to your father and Alpha."

"A claim that is null and void, Caroline already has a mate, she is mine." Klaus snarled, the sound echoing through the silence of the office. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Caroline's body stiffen a bit at the possessiveness in his voice and knew that she wanted to argue his words like she did the night before. Yet thankfully, she said nothing. She might be infuriatingly independent, when it came to their bond but she was not stupid. Caroline knew that to do so would put some legitimacy behind Brady's claim.

Her lack of argument also reassured Klaus that she still felt the bond between them, which meant that the other wolf's claim was a false one. Though he knew it, it soothed his wolf a bit to have the confirmation from her.

He watched Brady as his words sunk in, the warning clear in his voice. t Klaus flashed his fangs for emphasis. Brady did not flinch, instead standing his ground. It both pleased and irritated Klaus, who wanted him gone but also itched for a fight.

"I don't know pal, she didn't mention a mate when she was with me." Brady taunted, his eyes locked on Klaus as he moved forward, until they were chest to chest. "Not when we met, or any time after. Certainly not when we were alone in my bed."

The small amount of control that Klaus still had snapped at Brady's statement. Ignoring the sound of Caroline's gasp, he lunged forward. The only thing that kept Klaus from ripping Brady's throat out was Bill, who stepped up and placed a hand on Klaus' chest, halting a fight before it could begin.

"No blood will be shed here," Bill said His voice full of Alpha authority and dominance, left no room for argument. Not unless they wanted to challenge him, something that would cause another set of issues. Issues Klaus' wolf was almost willing to risk if it meant the trespasser would die. It was only the feeling of a hand on on the small of his back, soft skin touching his own, the touch of his mate that brought him out of his rage.

Coming to his senses, Klaus began to back away from Brady. Once he was an appropriate distance away, Bill went on. "This mating claim is an uncommon one, I have not heard of an instance like that in the past where two males claim to have a mating bond with one female. The unusualness of the situation combined with Caroline's station in the pack and therefore her mate's, it cannot be dismissed or accepted immediately. That is if you still both make your claims as Caroline's mate?"

Klaus gave him a sharp nod in response, while Brady answered. "I didn't make this trip to go home empty handed."

"Then you will wait as I make my decision." Bill declared.

"Well then, Brady, since it appears you will be a guest in our little town for a bit longer," Liz said, stepping around her husband to approach the stranger, guiding him away. Klaus could see that Brady was not pleased but knew not to argue with the Alpha Female either. "There is a hotel on the edge of town, by Wickery Bridge, that will have a room for you."

"There is no need for that ma'am," Brady assured her. "I brought a small camper with me."

"Then a small spot in the woods. Tony and Daniel will show you the way." Liz explained before she brought her hand to his arm and led Brady away.

As soon as the door clicked closed, Caroline turned to the Alpha. "Dad…"

Bill raised his hand to signal her to be silent. Caroline had been away from other wolves for too long, had forgotten about their hearing range. A few moments later, Liz returned and they knew that it was safe to speak.

"Dad, you can't seriously be considering accepting his claim?" Caroline asked, looking towards him before continuing. "It is not possible that what Brady said is true, I already have a mate. Regardless if I haven't been around him for over a year, he's..."

"Caroline, sweetie you're rambling." Bill interrupted her, effectively silencing Caroline, something Klaus had only seen the alpha being able to do. "But to answer your question, no, I'm not accepting his claim on you."

Klaus wasn't sure which elated him more, that Caroline was so steadfast in their bond, or that Bill was not mulling over the possibility of that what Brady claimed could be true. "Why then did you stop me from attacking him? Why allow him to stay?"

"I want to know his motivations. Is he here because he genuinely believes that Caroline is his mate or could this be a power play?" Bill asked. "Brady is not just some lone wolf, an omega wandering. Not only he is a member of the Lockwood pack, but cousin to their Alpha. They are a strong pack, especially since Mason's nephew Tyler mated with one of the Crescent wolves I want to know what his motivation is for making this claim. They may be our allies, but that does not mean they could not be planning to strengthen it again by claiming Caroline as his mate."

Bill paused for a moment as the three absorbed weight of the Alpha's words. "Caroline, tell us more about your time in Florida. When you met with Mason, did he try to probe you for any information?"

Caroline shook her head. "I never met with him. I followed the rules of traveling to another pack's territory, I contacted the Alpha to meet with him, but he told me there was no need. If I remember right, his exact words were 'He doubted that one shewolf traveling with a bunch of college girls was hardly a threat.'"

"Then tell us more about your time with Brady." Bill ordered, looking a bit uncomfortable in doing so, no doubt due to the fact that he was asking his daughter potentially about her sex life.

"He was with a group of guys my friends met at a bar by our hotel. I recognized him as a wolf right away so I was cautious when I approached him, but he was very friendly." She explained.

Thinking about how 'friendly' Brady claimed to be with his mate, Klaus couldn't hold back the growl that rumbled in his chest. "I bet."

Her eyes snapped to meet his, glaring at him. "I meant that he didn't act like I expected another wolf to act when they encountered a strange wolf. My friends took a liking to his friends so over the next few days we hung out. But nothing beyond friendship happened."

"Caroline…" Her mother said, a note of understanding in her voice, trying to reassure her daughter but it was obvious that she was having none of it.

"Nothing happened. I don't know why he said it but we never shared a bed." Caroline said adamantly. "We talked."

"Which makes his coming here, and his claim on you all the more suspicious." Bill stated. "Since we can not obviously contact his pack, I will try to make other inquiries, quiet ones, with other packs to see if they have heard any rumblings of the Lockwood pack wanting to expand their territory more. In the meantime, we will keep an eye on Brady."

"Maybe I should talk to him?" Caroline asked. She obviously noticed that her idea wasn't met well as she quickly moved to explain. "Hear me out. He came here for me, to convince me to take him as my mate. So wouldn't you think then that in his attempt to do so, he might let something slip? Or maybe if he is here for innocent reasons, I can convince him that I'm not his mate?"

Klaus wanted to argue with her, his wolf bristled under his skin at the thought of her being even remotely close to the other wolf who wanted to take her away from him, but her reasons were good. Something he saw Bill agree with.

"Alright then, let's go over what you should do."

_/_

_The large house loomed in front of him as Klaus drove down the driveway, its dark red brick and grand white pillars a clear sign of dominance to those who visited, leaving no doubt that the wolf that lived within was the one in power. Definitely the den of an alpha. _

_Passing the fountain, noting the wolf sculpture in the middle, Klaus pulled his bike up close to the brick staircase before killing the engine. As he slipped off his helmet and gloves, the wolf gave the house a closer inspection. _

_It looked to be one of the original residences in the area and well taken care of. None of the bricks looked broken, the white paint fresh, and the grass and foliage trim and green. No doubt the pack took pride in its care. He had visited many pack houses in his travels, both in the States and abroad, and while the architecture was different, they all gave off the same vibe. He picked up dozens of scents, confirming what he'd been told about the pack and its numbers. He hoped one of them could give him the information he wanted to know, that he'd been searching years for. Information about his birth father, even if he was too late to meet the older wolf. _

_Klaus didn't know that werewolves existed let alone that he was one until he was sixteen, when the full moon suddenly called to him, triggering his first turn. It had come on so fast, the pain so excruciating that all he could do was scream and writhe in pain. Unfortunately, he had been driving his little brother home from a friend's house at the time and he had lost control of the car. He came out of it unscathed, Henrik hadn't been so lucky. Klaus had not been able to do anything to help him, not in the form he was in. The crash had done nothing to halt his transformation and once he was fully transformed, had sat by his brother's body. _

_At the time he had no idea how to change back to human, or even if he could. He didn't turn back until the next morning, but by that time he had gone back to his family's home and his transformation was witnessed by his family. He still remembered the fear and shock he saw on their faces and the rage on his father's. Not only was his transformation into a wolf prove to him something he had suspected years before, that his wife had been unfaithful, but that the abomination, Klaus, that came from it had killed his son. Mikael didn't care that Klaus had loved Henrik more than anything and would never have hurt him if he had had a choice; he no longer wanted him anywhere near the family._

_The older man had attacked him, and Klaus had no doubt that he would have tried to kill him if Klaus hadn't fled. He hadn't seen his home or his siblings since. His mother, on the other hand, was a different matter. He had seen her once more. _

_Climbing off his bike, Klaus made his way quickly to the door before ringing the bell. A few moments later, the door swung open, surprising Klaus when it revealed a young blonde woman. An extremely beautiful one at that, one that had his wolf standing at attention and pushing against his skin. She looked to be a couple years younger than him; long blonde hair that hung in curls around her shoulders, shoulders that led down to a toned curvy body, and legs that seemed to go on forever from her short black shorts. But it was her face that captured his attention, with rose colored lips that he'd like to sink his teeth into and a pair of stunning blue eyes that looked at him in question. _

"_Can I help you?"_

_Catching a whiff of her scent, an alluring mix of dominant wolf, a light perfume of citrus, and something else he couldn't quite put his finger on. Something that made him curious to figure out what it was. His wolf would like nothing more for him to bury his nose in her throat so that he could drink her scent in more depth. Something the man in Klaus wouldn't mind doing either, except he had something else to do first. _"_I hope so love. I was told that I could find William Forbes at this address."_

_The she-wolf opened her mouth as if to say something but it wasn't her words that gave him the answer he was looking for. _

"_You must be Klaus. Alaric said you should be arriving sometime today."_ _The older man said as he approached from the back of the house. This had to be the alpha he had been sent to see, the one that could tell him about where he came from. _

_All that Klaus had been able to gather was bits and pieces. If his mother hadn't taken pity on him and sought him out in the weeks after he'd been banished from his family home, he would not even have had that. Yet all she could tell him was that was of any use to him was that his birth father was an American who had been visiting a nearby town, a town that was known for not welcoming outsiders. A town that Klaus discovered was completely made up of werewolves, one that unfortunately had not been able to give him much information given that most of its elders had been killed off a few years before Klaus arrived. They had not welcomed him, not trusting anyone, even if he was one of their kind. So Klaus had taken to traveling in the hopes of getting answers, which had led him to Mystic Falls. "That would make you William Forbes?" _

_He watched as the Forbes Alpha gave him the once over, Klaus keeping his eyes gazing straight in a way that showed he did not bow to the other wolf, but also not in challenge. When a smile appeared on his face, Klaus knew he has passed his test. _

"_It would. Bill actually. Won't you come in? Sweetheart, don't be rude. Step aside and give our guest some room."_ _Bill said to the female still standing in the doorway, who Klaus assumed was a family member if looks were anything to go by, possibly his daughter. Following the order, the blonde stepped back, opening the door wider in a clear extension of the invitation that he had been offered. _

_As she closed the door and the three of them stepped farther into the large foyer, Klaus noticed a look of curiosity in her eyes as she watched him and he wondered if she had had any clue as to why a strange wolf had been invited in. If not, she would soon he was sure of. One thing he had learned in his visits with various other packs, secrets didn't stay that way for long. _

"_Klaus, this is my daughter, Caroline," Bill stated as he began introductions. "Caroline, this is Klaus Mikaelson."_

"_A pleasure to meet you, Caroline," Klaus said, his eyes catching hers in a stare as he reached out to shake her hand, his wolf pushing again, this time to touch her. It was an odd feeling for Klaus, never before had his wolf been so insistent around a female, even one it found so attractive. _

_When their hands touched, her soft skin encased in his rough one, a surge of energy rushed through him. Energy filled with warmth and something else he couldn't describe, but completeness was the closest thing his brain could think of. His wolf howled within him, Klaus could feel him rising to the surface, and knew that his eyes showed that if the look Caroline gave him was any indication. Her eyes glowed faintly back at him, and his senses felt hypersensitive as they soaked in everything about the she wolf in front of him. The person his instincts were telling him was his mate, the woman Nature made for him. _

"_Um, it's nice to meet you too."_ _She said tensely, obviously as thrown as he was at what  
had just happened. This was the last thing that Klaus had planned on, but now that he'd found her, he was rethinking those plans. _

"_Klaus here has been searching the coast for information regarding his father, and according to Alaric, it appears that father could be Ansel Varg." Bill explained, breaking up the moment between them. _

_Klaus could see the bit of recognition in Caroline's eyes at his birth father's name but it was  
gone quickly when the sound of a cell phone ringing broke through the air. It was Bill's, and the man excused himself for a moment to take the call, leaving Klaus with Caroline, something he was quite happy about. _

_Once they were alone, Klaus noticed that though she stayed with him, she seemed determined to not meet his eyes. They stood there in momentary silence, a silence that his mate seemed to be quite uncomfortable with though Klaus didn't mind. _

"_So how long do you plan to be in Mystic Falls?"_ _She asked. _

"_I do not know; it depends on what information there is for me. A few days perhaps. Perhaps…longer." Klaus answered, never taking his eyes off of her, wanting to take her in completely. The wolf in him wanting to do more than just look at her, he wanted nothing more than to touch and taste her, but Klaus knew by the way she held herself, that would not be a good idea. _

"_Well, there isn't much in the ways of hotels, just the big one off the interstate. Mostly just bed and breakfasts, some ran by wolves, some by humans. You'd probably be more comfortable at my cousins' boarding house, it's not far from here, you might have passed it on your drive."_ _Caroline told him, an obvious nervousness in her voice if the way she rambled was any indication. Something he found endearing. _

_Thinking about what she said, Klaus saw an opening to spend more time in the company of his mate, just the two of them. "I do not recall seeing a boarding house on my way in. Perhaps after I meet with your father, you could show it to me? And maybe the rest of the town? Of course, I would want to repay the kindness. Possibly with dinner?"_

_Her reaction was not what he expected. Given that he knew she was as aware of the bond that had sparked between them moments before, Klaus thought that she would take him up on his invitation. Even after he saw the surprise that it gave her. However, that surprise quickly turned to something resembling exasperation and annoyance. _

"_Wow, please tell me that line doesn't work on all the other girls?"_

"_Other girls?"_ _Klaus repeated, thrown by the fury that was wafting off of her. _

"_Yeah, all the human girls and she-wolves that you said that line to whenever you roll into a new town?" She clarified. "Please, don't try to act like I'm something special here. I've had enough experience with lone wolves who have come through town to recognize the tactic. A handsome face, a little charm and I bet they were quick to make a stranger feel welcome."_

_Klaus quickly read between the lines of what Caroline said, knowing exactly what she meant by having enough 'experience' with lone wolves and his wolf bristled at the idea of any other males touching her. True, he had been no saint before this day, finding familiar company as he traveled but it had always been an arrangement based on mutual needs, nothing more. From Caroline's accounts, though her previous entanglements had been quite the opposite, and they had hurt her, making him want to do the same to them._

_Regaining control over his anger, and the sudden possessiveness he felt towards her, the male wolf quickly figured out that he needed to show his mate that he was not like those she had met before. Pulling his lips up in a smile, he stepped forward so that there were only a few inches between them. As he did, he could see that his proximity had an effect on her, her eyes glazing over just a little, while her pupils darkened and his wolf preened. Reaching up, he curled his finger under her chin so that those stormy blue eyes were fixed on him before murmuring. "Now Caroline, we both know just how special you are. You cannot ignore what happened moments ago, nor what is happening right now. You know what it means."_

_His words had the opposite effect that he'd been intending. They were supposed to convince him that his intentions were genuine, that he had no intentions of doing what those before him had. Instead if the fire he saw in her eyes and the way she stepped back, they did nothing but anger her. _

"_I know what it is supposed to mean. But just because fate has dictated that we are mates, doesn't mean that I'm going to simply drop my panties for you here and now and allow myself to be claimed. If someone wants to be with me, they have to earn it."_ _She declared, before spinning on her heel and walking off towards the rear of the house. _

_Klaus watched her go, his wolf pushing at him to chase after her, but he held back from his animal instincts. His mate was a strong, feisty female who wasn't quick to roll over and show her belly to him. As much as that frustrated him, it excited him too. That type of mate did not suite him, and he knew it would be boring after awhile. And Caroline appeared to be anything but boring. _

_Unable to allow her to have the last word, thinking she had won their first meeting, Klaus quickly called out. "I'll take that as a challenge."_

_He knew his words hit their mark when Caroline's steps faltered for a moment and her shoulders went rigid, nevertheless, she did not turn to acknowledge him, most likely unwilling to give him the pleasure._

_Klaus chuckled at her reaction, the rumbling within his chest not stopping until Bill rejoined him a few moments later, Caroline completely out of sight. _

"_My apologies for that interruption, pack business, I'm sure you understand," Bill stated._

"_No apology necessary, I understand completely," Klaus assured him._

"_Why don't we head into my office," Bill directed. "There isn't a lot in the official pack records on Ansel, but I have no doubt that some of the older pack members and I might be able to fill in any gaps."_

"_Thank you, any information you have will be of help." Klaus said in gratitude. "I would also like to talk to you about something else."_

"_Oh? What is that?" Bill asked curiously._

"_Your daughter. She is my mate." He stated, causing the other wolf to look at him in surprise before that melted into a look of concern and interest. _

_Nodding towards the cabinet that looked to be holding a bottle of a familiar amber liquid, Bill said. "If that is true, I think we both could use a drink because both of our lives just got extremely more complicated."_

"_Why do you say that?"_

"_Because I know my daughter, and given that she is not in here with you tells me how she reacted." Bill explained. "So why don't we talk, and get to know other another. Then I'll be able to see if I should trust you with my daughter, let alone the future of this pack."_


End file.
